Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
LOUIS XVI STYLE
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Louis XVI
Louis XVI French Fruitwood Architect’s Table
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A Louis XVI period French architect’s table in fruitwood with an adjustable leather-inset drafting top. The table features a single drawer, slide-out candle supports, and classic tap...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Fine C19th French Thuya wood
Marquetry Bureau Plat
By Jean-François Oeben
Located in Dereham, GB
Fine C19th French Thuya wood & Marquetry Bureau Plat
Top with Green inset Leather writing surface, with gold tooling decoration,
possibly the original leather , worn & faded,
Cros...
Category
1870s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Burl
$2,721 Sale Price
20% Off
French Marquetry Slant Top Ladies Writing Desk, Circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
French marquetry ladies slant top three-drawer writing desk with floral motif inlay, flanking step back interior drawers, leather writing surface, carved scalloped skirt, original or...
Category
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Gold, Ormolu
French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Kneehole Desk
Located in Queens, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) mahogany and bronze trimmed fluted leg kneehole desk with gallery.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Louis XVI Style Parquetry Desk
Located in Pembroke, MA
A high-quality French Louis XVI style desk with geometric parquetry in mahogany with gilt-bronze mounts, including swags at the corners. The desk has three drawers with working locks...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Walnut Architects Table a La Tronchin
Located in Essex, MA
A fine and unusual piece with gilt bronze mounts, when in table position rectangular with a ratcheted adjustable slant lid , a winding key raised and lowers the reading, working sect...
Category
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Beautiful Louis XVI Style Writing Table, France, Circa 1880
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful Louis XVI style wooden writing table. The rectangular top, surrounded on three sides by a fine pierced and gilt-bronze frieze, above a d...
Category
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany and Ormolu Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking and most elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany and ormolu desk. The desk is raised by fine topie shaped feet with striking fitted ormolu acanthus leaf sabots ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Marble Top Writing Table, Tooled-Leather Writing Surface, on Casters
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French Marble-Top Writing Table on Casters, Pull-Out Drawer, Gilt Tooled-Leather Writing Surface above the drawer, lower storage shelf.
Versatile in its design and size, beautiful w...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble
19th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Writing Table
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Writing Table combines classic architecture with modern sensibilities creating a table that can be used for a wide variety of purposes, all while...
Category
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
18th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Writing Table or Desk, Circa 1780
Located in San Francisco, CA
A Louis XVI carved walnut writing table with a tooled inset brown leather top, standing on elegant cabriole legs ending on cloven hoof feet. Having single center drawer with a decora...
Category
18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Louis XVl Style Marquetry Bonheur du Jour
Located in Montreal, QC
A writing table with a fitted superstructure, this beautifully crafted and elegant piece has all the positive attributes. The upper section is enclosed by a pair of doors each with o...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
"Roller" desk Louis XVI from the late 1700s with floral inlays
Located in Cesena, FC
Emilian "roller" writing desk of great quality, the manufacture is along the lines of Rolo, late 1700s Louis XVI.
Entirely veneered in walnut, with beautiful floral inlays, Bois de ...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French Louis XVI style writing table, circa 1890
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century French Mahogany bureau plat in the style of Louis XVI.
Having an inset leather top, a frieze drawer, gilded ormolu mounts and raised on elegant ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Superb small desk in Louis XVI style, after a model by Philippe Claude Montigny
By Philippe Claude Montigny
Located in Wien, AT
Philippe Claude Montigny (after a model by) – Superb small desk in Louis XVI style, 2nd half of the 19th century.
Oak frame on tapered legs, freestanding construction. Two front draw...
Category
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Satin, Ebony, Oak
Louis XVI Style Mahogany, Satinwood, Ebony and Ormolu Writing Desk by D. Ross
By Donald Ross
Located in London, GB
Louis XVI style mahogany, satinwood, ebony and ormolu writing desk by Donald Ross
English, Late 19th Century
Height 73cm, width 108cm, depth 64cm
This excellent piece, a table à écrire, or writing desk, was made by Donald Ross, an important English maker active in the late nineteenth century, in the manner of Jean-Henri Riesener, the renowned, highly acclaimed and towering ébéniste of the Louis XVI period in France. It features a rectangular top surface mounted with a gilt-bronze edge, in which is set a finely tooled gilt leather surface.
This, like the frieze drawers around the sides, is set within a lattice veneer parquetry border. The table is divided by a central ormolu appliqué...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
$26,670 Sale Price
30% Off
20th Century France Bureau Plat in the antique Louis Quinze Style exotic Veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Light and dark exotic Veneer, on the four-sided passively curved zest base on high, elegantly curved squares. Slightly overlaid tabletop with profiled decorated bronze lining and gold-embossed leather insert. Decorative perforated rocaille appliqués and decorative moldings...
Category
20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Louis XVI-Style Ormolu Mounted Mahogany Bureau Plat
Located in Dallas, TX
a Louis XVI-style ormolu mounted mahogany bureau plat / desk with rectangular blue-grey leather inset top (new / recently installed) and brass mounted molded edge above three drawers...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Lady’s Cylinder Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, brass, ormolu, and Sarrancolin marble cylinder desk. The desk is raised by slender circular tapered fluted legs with beauti...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Brass, Ormolu
Frederic Schmit, Paris, Large Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality 19th century marquetry inlaid French Louis XVI style bureau plat. Having an inset tooled leather top, an ormolu moulding around, three oak lined frieze drawers, with the locks stamped; Schmit, Paris. Dummy drawers to the reverse.
The frieze being bombe shaped all the way round, quartered veneers and marquetry inlay. Wonderful ormolu monopodia supports to the tops of the elegant cabriole legs that terminate in hairy paw feet.
Frédéric Schmit...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Kingwood, Mahogany
$41,366 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century French Mahogany Bureau Plat, After Henry Dasson
By Henry Dasson
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality late 19th century French Mahogany Bureau plat, after Henry Dasson, having an inset leather top with a three quarter ormolu gallery, three Mahogany line freize drawers,...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XVI Style Mahogany Bureau Plat
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Louis XVI style gilt bronze and Jasperware mounted mahogany Bureau plat.
Stamped 'FOURNIER' to the reverse of the bronze mount to the drawer apron. .
This fine bureau plat or...
Category
1870s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Mahogany Desk ‘A la Tronchin’
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An attractive and unusual French 19th century Louis XVI st. mahogany desk 'A la Tronchin'. The desk is raised by square tapering legs with original ormolu sabots and castors. The str...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Kingwood and Ormolu table/desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and high quality French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Kingwood and Ormolu center table/desk, attributed to Francois Linke. This truly stunning rectangular table/des...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Fine Quality Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Louis XVI style mahogany bureau plat. Having an inset leather top, wonderful gilded ormolu mounts, the single frieze drawer having a drop front, open...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
$30,480 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis XVI Style Mahogany Writing Table, circa 1890
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century French Louis XVI style mahogany bureau plat. Having an inset leather top, gilded ormolu mouldings and scrolling foliate mounts to the frieze, two fri...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Fine Louis XVI Mahogany Leather-Top Table Attributed to Canabas
By Joseph Canabas
Located in Sheffield, MA
A Fine Louis XVI Mahogany
Leather Top Table
Attributed to Canabas
Joseph Canabas maitre 1766
Height 28 in. Width 27 in. Depth 17 in.
Tab84
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
French Louis XVI Style Parquetry Inlaid Table Desk
Located in Queens, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) parquetry inlaid top table desk with bronze trim and single drawer.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany, Kingwood and Ormolu Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. mahogany, kingwood and ormolu kidney shaped writing desk. The desk is raised by slender circular tapered fluted legs with fine foliate to...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Louis XVI Style Desk Made by Paul Sormani
By Paul Sormani
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Elegant Louis XVI style desk made by Paul Sormani (1817-1877). Made of veneered wood and gilt bronze sheathed on top of a patiné havane leather. Molded and decorated on all sides wit...
Category
1870s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Antique Walnut and Marquetry Writing Desk
Located in London, GB
This elegant writing desk was created in France in the late 18th century, during the reign of King Louis XVI (1774-1792). The desk is designed in a refined neoclassical style which w...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
$9,048 Sale Price
30% Off
French Louis XVI Style Side Table or Writing Table, Entretoise Legs
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French Louis XVI style side table or writing table, Entretoise legs.
Lovely model decorated with musical instruments, scrolls, ribbons and feathers in the classical Louis XVI vernac...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
$2,880 Sale Price
20% Off
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Side Table/Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A lovely French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany side table/desk. The kidney shaped Table à Écrire is raised by elegantly curved supports connected with a fine stretcher below the...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
20th Century imperial Bureau Plat / Desk in the Style of Louis XVI
Located in Berlin, DE
Exotic veneer on solid oak and wood. Extremely finely chased and rich bronze applications. Rectangular body. A hand painted picture badge on the front and side view. Gilded bronze de...
Category
20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Bureau Plat
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Louis XVI style gilt-bronze mounted bureau plat, with a Breche d'Alep marble top.
The bureau plat having a rectangular breche d'Alep marble top above a frieze fitted with three ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Desk in Mahogany Louis XVI Style
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Minister desk in mohagany gilded brass and green leather on the top
The desk have two extensions on the sides allowing you to put a lamp or accessory, the desk is composed of 3 par...
Category
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
$7,800 / set
Louis Xvi desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Louis XVI desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desks and writing tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XVI desks and writing tables made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desks and writing tables, popular names associated with this style include Maison Jansen, John Vesey, Paul Sormani, and A.M.E Fournier. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desks and writing tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $956 and tops out at $230,146 while the average work can sell for $8,500.
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